Photographing cars - Our tips for better pictures when selling a car

Why good pictures are important when selling a car

The same applies when buying a car: the first impression counts. If you want to buy a car, then you are sure to take a close look at the pictures – that's how dealers or private individuals feel when you want to sell your vehicle. Maybe it's an accident car or the car had engine damage. Be honest and include it in the description – pictures are even more authentic.

But even if your vehicle is in perfect condition, you should show it. This will allow you to get higher bids and end up getting a higher price for your car.

 

What photos of the car should you take for sale?

To give potential customers the best possible overview, you should photograph your car from a wide variety of angles and also pay attention to detail shots. Here's a list that should help you:

1. Front interior – preferably from the outside with a view of the dashboard
2. Instrument panels should be visible when the vehicle is on, mileage and, if necessary, warning lights
3. Rims – including any scratches or other damage
4. Front in long shot
5. Front to 3/4 in angle
6. tires – to show the condition; Tire tread should be recognizable
7. Front oblique view
8. Side mount
9. Rear oblique view
10. Rear in the long shot
11. Trunk through open door and view of the parcel shelf and open trunk
12. Remote rear oblique view
13. Back seats
14. Service booklet with entry of the last maintenance
15. Detail shots of all damage, scratches or dents inside and outside

 

Tips for photographing cars professionally

Even if you want to sell your car quickly, you should make sure that you take relatively professional photos. You don't have to be a photographer to do this, but you should take the following tips to heart:

1. Clean the car

First of all, your car goes to the car wash, the car wash or you wash it yourself. Polishing the car also makes sense - so allow enough time for car care. A clean car is the basis for good pictures – if you are careless here, it will have a negative effect on the sales opportunities. Potential customers could think that the paint is bad or that the car has generally been poorly maintained.

Interior cleaning should of course also be carried out. Vacuuming, plastic and seat care are the minimum.

2. Clear out the car

All private items, bags, garbage or anything else has no place in the pictures. So: clear out the car and only leave what is necessary there - for example the parking disc.

3. Choose the right photo location

The location is crucial to be able to photograph your car properly. Find a location without trees or buildings nearby, because shadows or reflections are cast on the car from there, which you don't need in pictures. Preferably an empty area in a parking lot or somewhere in the countryside, where you are undisturbed. You should have enough space to photograph the car from all angles.

4. Make sure you have good photo equipment

If you have a smartphone with a good camera, then of course you can use it. If you have an old model that doesn't produce beautiful pictures, you should borrow a classic camera. Image editing is also important, and there are various apps for this, some of which are free.

5. Shoot in landscape mode

Please hold your smartphone in landscape format, so you can easily fit your car or the details into the given frame when uploading your pictures to Carwow and easily cut out unnecessary space around the car.

6. Correct lighting and camera setting

Pay attention to the right time of day so that the lighting is right. Avoid taking pictures at dusk or even in the dark – flash light doesn't help here either, because it makes some parts of the car unrecognizable and that is unlikely to go down well with potential buyers. So be sure to take pictures in daylight, it is even quite good if it is a little cloudy – in strong sunlight it is usually reflective.

7. Images from different perspectives

To give the most comprehensive impression of your vehicle, you should photograph the car from a wide variety of angles. Don't forget to take detailed photos of rims, extras or even damage, for example. If everything important can be seen at the beginning, there will be no problems at the end.

All images for sale are ready – what now?

Have you followed our tips and taken great pictures for the sale of your vehicle? Great! Then you can now sell your car with Carwow by uploading the pictures and providing more information about the vehicle. If you are not yet sure how much your used car is still worth, you can request a free car valuation here.